2016-17 Connecticut LEA Homeless Liaison Catalog

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 reauthorized Title X, Part C, Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program. In an effort to strengthen accountability at both the state and local level, every school district in the country is required to designate a homeless liaison. A local liaison is a local educational agency (LEA) staff person who will be responsible for working with homeless education issues in a school district.

Liaisons are responsible for ensuring the identification, school enrollment, attendance and opportunities for academic success of students in homeless situations. Some of these activities may be accomplished by the liaison himself or herself, while others are accomplished by coordinating the efforts of other staff. National evaluations have found that liaisons are a common denominator for successful district efforts to address homelessness. By linking students and their families to school and community services, liaisons play a critical role in stabilizing students and promoting academic achievement at the individual, school and district level.

The individuals listed in this directory are Connecticut LEA Liaisons charged with enforcing state and federal protections for homeless students. To find a contact, select one of the links above. Contact these individuals first with any issues regarding enrolling or maintaining attendance for students experiencing homelessness in public schools.

If an issue cannot be resolved or if you require further assistance in matters relating to the Education of Homeless Children and Youths Program, please contact Louis Tallarita at the Connecticut State Department of Education at 860-807-2058 or louis.tallarita@ct.gov.